PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia City Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson went door to door in South Philadelphia Tuesday to share available resources with residents after a shooting in the neighborhood killed a 17-year-old boy.
Some who live on the normally quiet Point Breeze block near South 23rd and Titan streets are still in shock from the shooting that killed Isaiah Odom last week.
"It was super jarring," said Scott Newman, who has lived in the neighborhood since October 2020. He was home the night of the shooting. "I have to walk my dog at night. … It's been really quiet, but it's gonna stay there in my head for a long time."
"Twenty-five years ago, the neighborhood was not a great neighborhood, but compared to today, the neighborhood was a great neighborhood," said Bruce Womack, who has lived on the block for 26 years.
Johnson went around the neighborhood and spoke with residents, stressing the importance of checking on neighbors who see or hear gun violence.
"A lot of the neighbors are dealing with the issue of trauma and post-traumatic stress when they see homicides and these murders taking place inside the community," said Johnson. "We need to show up and, most importantly, show the neighbors that we're going to be there with them."
Johnson commended the community groups he's seen get more involved to address the issues of gun violence — one that hit home for him personally.
"I'm born and raised in South Philadelphia, born and raised in Point Breeze," he said. "I'm raising my two sons in Point Breeze, so for me, this issue is personal. It's beyond the politics."
Johnson wants the Philadelphia District Attorney Office's Gun Violence Task Force to expand.
"That task force goes after individuals who sell illegal guns to our young people," he said. "They're getting the guns from somewhere. These guns are flooding the streets of Philadelphia, so we have to ask the question: Where are they coming from?"
He also said it's important for local young people to get involved in positive activities, such as jobs and after-school programs.
